Today, I’m handing over the keys to Mike McDonald. He’s going to keep you up to speed with the top talents from around Europe. Jump in and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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Where do Arsenal need an upgrade?
Are the upgrades already at the club?
Is it just the coach that needs upgrading?
Surely we need to sign someone in January and next summer, right?
We most likely do and of course we will in the summer as some will leave. Have a look at our options though and I’m thinking that perhaps for the first time in 15+ years we are ‘talent rich.’
Take a look at this…
GK: Leno | Martinez
Best collection of two keepers we’ve had in many years. One will get dissatisfied so a purchase will no doubt happen this summer.
RB: Bellerin | Maitlind-Niles | Chambers | Osei-Tutu
No obvious need to upgrade. Interestingly, many at the club see Osei-Tutu as having the highest ceiling.
LB: Tierney | Kolasinac | Medley
Have a feeling Tierney is gonna rock it. Is it fair to suggest that Kolasinac is about as good as you’ll get as a willing backup?
Medley must be the most athletic looking player in England. Needs a loan and may establish himself as a LB or CB. I’ve got a sneaky feeling he could be a fine CM.
CB: Holding | Saliba | Luiz | Chambers | Sokratis | Mavropanos | Mustafi | Medley
This is the debate…. there’s an argument that if Saliba hits the ground running and Holding is what we think he could be, then these two are a great pair. Supplemented by Luiz, Sokratis and Chambers then our options are rather good.
Totally depends on whether our first choice are ‘good enough,’ I’d say.
DM: Xhaka | Torreira | Guendouzi | Chambers | Luiz | Ceballos
Not all of these are true DM’s, right? True, but if you want your DM to be a playmaker rather than a destroyer then Guendouzi and Ceballos become options. I would’ve loved to see Chambers and/or Luiz used in the cup as DM’s to see if they can be options.
We all see Xhaka and most pine for Torreira.
CM: Guendouzi | Willock | Ceballos | Xhaka | Torreira | Maitland-Niles
Continuity players, creators, accelerators, destroyers and possession specialists. A good blend.
AM: Ceballos | Ozil | Willock | Nelson | Smith-Rowe
If we were to play 4-2-3-1 then there is plenty of talent as you see
LW/RW: Pepe | Saka | Nelson | Aubameyang | Martinelli | Smith-Rowe
Big stench of talent here too.
CF: Lacazette | Aubameyang | Martinelli | Nketiah | John-Jules | Balogun
Goals for the present and an exciting group offering goals for the future.
I look at this squad and I feel good.
Hope for the present and hope for the future.
I believe it rests on one word though….’if’.
If Holding continues on the trajectory he was on. If Saliba can play PL at 19 and ifhe’s as good as we hope. If we find/select the athleticism in midfield to destroy and play the athleticism to accelerate the play too.
If Saka, Martinelli, ESR and Nelson work out we don’t need a ‘Zaha’ too.
If Nketiah and/or Balogun continue the way they are then we may have saved ourselves £100M+
Pete has kindly given me the opportunity to write periodically about possible signings. So, my eyes go first to the centre of the park as I feel that the other areas might well become ‘wants’ and not ‘needs’ IF all the ‘ifs’ come to fruition.
I see a good balance of youth and experience EXCEPT in one area: midfield, specifically a DM.
We have almost all the pieces needed except two. Experience and height. I’ve thought for a while that these are the two reasons that Xhaka plays. The others are all young and/or inexperienced and don’t offer aerial help at set plays.
Below are some potential DM targets to consider
The perfect choice… Thomas Partey 26 (Atletico Madrid)
There aren’t many DM’s in world football that can destroy, create and accelerate the play. Partey can. Mid 20’s, CL experience but due to recent upsurge in form his club are trying to up his release clause.
Potential fee: £75M
Specialist destroyers….. Wilfred Ndidi 22 (Leicester)
When you have some of the best tackling and interception numbers in the PL two seasons in a row you can’t be ignored. If you think he’s not good enough because he plays for Leicester then consider that Idrissa Gueye (formerly of Everton) had similar numbers and is now being considered as the vital cog at PSG.
Potential fee: £45M
Denis Zakaria 23 (Moenchengladbach)
Xhaka’s mobile, powerful and athletic partner in the Swiss midfield. Young and cheaper.
Potential fee: £25M
Destroyer/Playmaker combo: William Carvalho 27 (Real Betis)
Remember the Arsenal rumours?
In his prime now but never played for a big European club. A fridge of a man who specializes in intercepting and adds supreme composure to dictate.
Potential fee: £40M
Danilo Perreira 28 (Porto)
Carvalho’s competition for the best Portuguese team in decades.
Very similar player but taller, added line breaking dribbling and aerial ability.
Potential fee: £40M
Almost perfect except….. Axel Witsel 30 (Dortmund) / Sergio Busquets 31 (Barca) and Javi Martinez 31 (Bayern)
These next three will no doubt be familiar to you but are all 30 plus and do not seem to be interested in leaving their clubs (who are all doing better than Arsenal).
If I was Sanhelli I’d inquire though.
All three can destroy and create. In fact they are next level so it’s fair to say that they can dominate a midfield. For those wondering if they can ‘do it in the PL at their age, I’d suggest that their class would say yes and their age isn’t far from two in a similar position at the European Champions in Henderson (29) and Milner (33).
Frenkie DeJong will soon limit Busquets minutes at Barca and Martinez has spent his entire Bayern career in and out of favour.
Other hope lies in Sanhelli’s ties to Barca and that all three of these guys may want to play in the PL.
Potential fee… never know how much aging brilliance costs. £30M/40/50M??
The trendy, modern, athletic, powerful and young.
Ibrahim Sangare 21 (Toulouse)
A frightening talent. Everything I’ve said on the tin and a 10 year player with huge potential resell value.
Legs that go on forever and a ‘Vieira-like’ ability to carry the ball.
Check out the video and you’ll find him hard to resist. Step back and you’ll wonder if he needs to play for Southampton first to see if he is as good as he looks.
Potential fee: £30M
Boubakary Soumare 20 (Lille)
Could be Sangare’s twin brother playing style-wise. Played at a higher level with Lille.
Potential fee: £30M
Play Torreira at DM and upgrade Xhaka and buy goals and assists….
Bruno Fernandes 25 (Sporting Lisbon)
Got buckets of goals and assists last season and drew close attention from Utd and City.
An all round natural footballer who senses opportunity. Similar potential to Ramsey.
Potential fee: £50M
Young and brilliant, Dominik Szoboszlai 18 (Red Bull Salzburg)
My favourite young player in Europe.
Remember that Dutchman that graced Highbury? He was a natural footballer. Made it look easy.
Szoboszlai is a CM/DM and he’s not Dennis but his ease reminds me of him. Joyful to watch him.
Needs to bulk up but that’s an easy fix.
Alternative plan:
I live in the US. I’ll find Stan and ask him for £200M for N’golo Kante 💪🏼
What would I do?
I’m of the belief that if we simply remove Xhaka we will improve 40% as the other current options are better.
I’d try both Luiz and Chambers at DM in cup games to see if the answer is found in-house and I’d use Torreira as first choice until he proves me otherwise.
I’d sell Xhaka (£35M) and put that towards a bid for Thomas Partey.
If he won’t come then I’d go for Axel Witsel.
I’d also buy Dominik Szoboszlai and loan him out to build his strength.
What would you do?
@mike_mmcdonald (give the lad a follow😉)
Pierre – Willock has proved fuck all apart from the fact you harbour almost as much of a bizarre obsession with Ramsey that you do with Ozil.
You also continue to wrongly equate limitations with discipline, and yet subconsciously Ramsey’s displays in central midfield last season have now you got clamouring for players like Willock because you miss him so much, but instead of admitting it, you’re lashing out at Rambo in love-hate rants.
Paulinho
Ramsey only played a handful of games in central midfield ( did very well ) .
He was benched for 9 consecutive league games and of course succumbed to his usual couple of injuries unfortunately.
So I’m not sure how Ramsey’s displays in central midfield have any influence on what I say .
But I do agree that for the few games he did play in central midfield he did actually put in mature, disciplined performances.
He was reinstated into the side about the same time as Ozil after the bate defeat if I remember rightly.
Paulinho
“clamouring for players like Willock because you miss him so much, but instead of admitting it, you’re lashing out at Rambo in love-hate rants.”
It could be said that your reluctance to give willock ( and ceballos) any credit is due to them now playing the Ramsey role.
Looks that way to me.
There was a report a day or two ago about how Ramsey is struggling with the training demands in Italy, can’t complete 90 minutes etc.
We dodged a major bullet there otherwise we’d have a semi permanent crock costing £250,000 per week.
Pierre – It’s quite simple. Up until Ramsey’s stint in central midfield you wanted N’Zonzi partnering Xhaka, so we had two holding ‘disciplined’ midfielders behind the ball. After Ramsey played centrally and our game elevated to levels higher above anything in previous months, you started mentioning the need to replace him and his runs/goals. You got a taste of the central midfield off-ballery and lapped it up like a thirsty dog. Even in pre-season, you discounted the notion of Ceballos partnering Xhaka because ‘rarely ventured into the box’, and preferred to stay deep and circulate possession. You even said he… Read more »
Marc – The report was bullshit. Some of the most embarrassing shit I’ve read in my life.
Of course, he’s injury-prone, but the rest was just speculative BS written by some bitter old hack with an agenda.
The Juventus fans are actually very happy with him and think he’s added a new dimension to their team.
https://www.juventuz.com/threads/aaron-ramsey.43870/page-38
Paulinho
He’s only started 3 league matches I don’t think the Juve fans will be so pleased when they look back over a season and see how often he’s injured compared to what he’s costing.
Going from Ramsey to Ceballos is a downgrade. Hope we don’t sign Ceballos on a permanent deal. Not we need
Nice post, Mike. Some tasty morsels in here.
I would break the bank for any player with two Zs…
Paulinho
Why are all the comment on that blog / forum in English?
I mean if Le Grove’s comment section was all in Spanish you’d wonder who the hell was commenting.
Marc – It’s an English Juve forum.
Being injury-prone is different from the not being smart enough to adapt to training or being good enough, which that pathetic article was implying.
Paulinho
My preference has always been 2 holding midfielders., and still is .
That’s why I wanted Nzonzi, to partner Torreira actually , not xhaka .
I said all along , Tyrone Mings and Nzonzi were exactly what we needed in the summer. ..40 million for both.
That didn’t happen but we now have willock and Guendouzi who.may or may not be the answer, but up until.now , considering their age , they are aquitting themselves really well and could prove to be the answer
Paulinho
So you claiming that the Juve fans are happy with him isn’t exactly representative of fans in the stadium.
Marc – It’s more representative than that cock of a journalist claiming what he claimed.
Did he go around the stadium at half-time and do a survey or something?
“But with every game he does not start, Juventus fans’ frustration builds with many afraid that Ramsey may have a career tormented by injuries like Claudio Marchisio. This is not a rash judgement, it is one that has formed among supporters in recent weeks.”
Yep, he definitely embedded himself in Turin James Richardson style and canvassed opinion with an expresso in hand at all times.
Paulinho
I don’t know where the Journo got his info and I’m one of the first to say take what you read in the papers with a pinch of salt (at best) but his limited appearances suggest there could be something to it.
But using a foreign language blog for a team as representing the fans is just as far fetched.
“But using a foreign language blog for a team as representing the fans is just as far fetched.”
How is it far-fetched?
How is it far fetched?
Because there’s a high probability that many of the posters do not attend matches. It’s the same as suggesting that the comments section of Le Grove represents the majority of fans at the Emirates.
In case you don’t know – it doesn’t.
Blandford
After all that you. You never answered what I asked you. Well done you waste of air.
Marc
‘ He’s only started 3 league matches I don’t think the Juve fans will be so pleased when they look back over a season and see how often he’s injured compared to what he’s costing’
Why is it the fans concern how much a player is costing? Such a weird way to approach watching a team and how you regard players.
Where did the Journalist specifically state inside the stadium anyway?
Journalists get their opinions from social media these days so the Turin native at the stadium is irrelevant in comparison.
And fans forums generally do represent stadium opinion when it comes to players unless I’m mishearing when Xhaka gets dogs abuse at the Emirates through the T.V.
Also fans that go to the game can also post on forums as well.
Normski
It’s called value for money. If a player is tearing it up the fans don’t give a shit what he’s earning but much the same as Ozil at Arsenal (I know there’s a difference between missing because of injury to being a light weight) if a player is on huge wages and never available fans will complain.
Do you think the ManU fans were quite so pleased with getting Sanchez after 6 months with him earning £450k per week?
“Journalists get their opinions from social media these days so the Turin native at the stadium is irrelevant in comparison.”
Only a person who doesn’t attend matches would think the narrative at the stadium is irrelevant in comparison.
Ceballos won’t ever start for Real Madrid, they’ll sell him if not to us to somebody else, probably in Spain.
The way Odegaard is playing for Real Sociedad I doubt that they’re too fussed on Ceballos either, lad has been spectacular.
Marc – Right, but the opinion of fans at the stadium on players generally align with those online, so if Juve fans from far and wide are happy with Ramsey, it’s highly unlikely the fans at the stadium hold a contrary opinion, hence asking why it’s far-fetched to put stock in the opinions ‘Juventuz’ fans on Ramsey.
Reports that Liverpool will be without Salah and that Martial will start on the bench.
Great opportunity for Origi if true.
If Liverpool paste United today, things are going to get pretty ugly for Ole.
Sack race is on between him and Poch.
Ceballos is really not all that. He gives an impression that he has a lot of tricks up his sleeve and he can run games but his actual output has not been of even average standard. He looks off pace in most games and lacks drive.
United XI: De Gea, Wan Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Young, McTominay, Tuanzebe, Fred, Andreas Pereira, Rashford, James.
I am surprised Fred is in the XI. If he has a nightmare, Solskjaer will deserve criticism for selecting him.
No Salah for Liverpool.
Paulinho You’ve dismissed the opinion of a journalist – fine I’ve no problem with that but used as a counter a blog that is not in the native language of the team in question and where’s they a high chance none of them ever go to matches. I can only speak from personally experience but if you think social media is representative of fans in the ground then you are wildly wrong if only for the reason that there are such widely ranging opinions across both social media and in the ground. Let’s see how Ramsey gets on and if… Read more »
Rabiot played really well for Juve yesterday.
Amazing that Khedira is still a mainstay in the side, he’s been off the pace for nearly half a decade.
“then you are wildly wrong if only for the reason that there are such widely ranging opinions across both social media and in the ground.”
When it comes to players there not really wildly-ranging opinions though, and as explained, there is no misalignment and never has been, when it comes to players.
Henry was great in the eyes of fans at the stadium as well as online.
Xhaka is shit in the eyes of fans at the stadium and online.
Wow. Solskjaer is going with a new and somewhat unconventional 3-4-2-1. If this goes well for him, he’s a genius. I have my doubts, though. This is the first time he’s gone with a formation and selection I have serious questions about. Could be the pressure. Could be his options. Regardless, I like and rate the guy, so I hope it goes well. But I have my doubts.
Man Utd 1 Liverpool 3(at least).
TR7
I agree that Ceballos hasn’t been that player we were looking for.
It’s a good thing that we didn’t convince Madrid to add a mandatory purchase clause on his loan deal.
We still need to go find that solid midfielder in the summer.
Sorry, it’s a 3-4-1-2.
I predict that Liverpool will lay a beating in United today
United 1 – Liverpool 6
Marc
Actually, unless you can make an argument for why fan opinion in-stadium would be hugely different (as a whole) from fan opinion among those watching on television, then both groups (in-stadium and on-television) should be “simple random samples” and should be more or less the same in their distributions.
“Amazing that Khedira is still a mainstay in the side, he’s been off the pace for nearly half a decade.”
That 2010 World Cup came along at a great time for him and Ozil. Ozil at Bremen, Khedira at Stuttgart.
Bamford
That’s sort of my point. Using Henry and Xhaka as examples (I know it wasn’t you) is picking too very black and white opinions.
Look at some of the different views on here – can be all of the place.
My position is if Ramsey isn’t having fitness issues why has he only started 3 out of 8 league matches.
Anyway off to the pub now – have a good afternoon everyone.
I’m trying not to get too carried away with guen and willock because we’ve been stung so many times before by ‘potential’ I really like what they bring to the table though. It’s paramount that they continue to improve a further 15% though to make the major step up as real players of this level. They have so many valuable qualities and they must build on them and cement their status. Guen must continue to hone his defensive play which has already improved this season but a bit more would be so useful. He also needs to work on his… Read more »
At the beginning of the season people here were bemoaning the fact that we didn’t get the option to buy with Ceballos. Now many seem happy that we didn’t.
I know a lot of shit is reported in the online media, so take this latest report as you will.
http://dailycannon.com/2019/10/spanish-media-dani-ceballos-tells-real-madrid-he-wants-to-join-arsenal-permanently-if-they-want-him/
Picking xhaka in spite of him being awful just because he’s a bit taller than average and collects fines from the late arrivals is some proper playground football manager nonsense
Marc
We’re all aware of value for money. The point being is the juve fans won’t give a shit when he plays well how much he cost.
It’s only a problem when they don’t perform it just gives moaning fans something else to whinge about.
I like Dani Ceballos.
We’ve all seen enough of him to know that given the right structure and system around him, he is just the sort of player we need.
Jesus, not even 3 months and people have already passed judgement.
What/Who exactly do you want?
We
‘ Amazing that Khedira is still a mainstay in the side, he’s been off the pace for nearly half a decade.’
Your perception of how good Khedira is obviously different to the various managers that ALWAYS pick him when fit. Maybe it’s your judgment rather than Khedira’s ability.
Tbf juve dominate serie A so hard most seasons they wouldn’t even notice if they have one or two passengers. They can only get exposed by elite teams in the CL so it’s all good
Blandford
It’s a 532 nothing ground breaking. Just a manager shit scared of getting ripped a new arsehole at home by a rampant rival.
Ceballos will be a fantastic addition to The arsenal. He’ll only get better and we’ve only seen glimpses so far but you can see he has a touch of class about him.
Not sure why anyone on here gives a toss about Ramsey anymore
United the better team so far. Maybe this Solskjaer guy knows what he is doing. Wait, who here has been saying that? Oh right, me.
Liverpool coming into it. 14 minutes in.
Blandford
After 14 minutes? Daft cunt.
Talk about prematurely ejaculating again…
United are way better than we are. Results notwithstanding, I have no idea how people don’t see this.
Pereirra keeps making poor decisions.
Liverpool playing like they think they won the league already.
United are way better than we are
Nope.
Very slick from Wijnadum there.
Total bullshit that United are better than Arsenal
That’s actually an embarrassing comment at least not this season anyway…. probably only Pogba and Martial that I’d take of that squad
Liverpool are not at the races at the moment, so give united a false sense of hope.
Badly missing Salah 30 mins in.
Only player I’d take is bisaka
Liverpool rely on their intensity and power to dominate games, rather than technical quality (City), and can’t really take the sting out of United with passing combinations the way City do at Old Trafford.
Hard to physically overpower United at their place, whatever their limitations, so it’s always going to be a battle for Liverpool there.
27 minutes in, United continue to be the better team, continue to be on the front foot. Great passing, great patterns. And Solskjaer’s formation is definitely working well, with United looking well-drilled in said formation (despite it being novel for them).
Bamford has finally come out the closet
He’s a rampant Manc
Hilarious. Some of you continue to misunderstand United.
Are we watching different games or aren’t Liverpool just about been the better side?
Well i take that back then
VAR is a joke.
Hate them both but its good that Man U are 1 up.
Great run from Rashford. 1-0, United.
Hilarious.
VAR is a farce right now. Why are the match refs not going to look at the monitors anymore?
Remind me who has outplayed Liverpool this season? Oh right, no one. Looks like Solskjaer knows something about what he is doing, looks like United are a decent team. Just as I’ve said.
Hillwood
Nah, I just appreciate some of what Solskjaer is doing, some of what this United team has in it.
United are playing at home. Playing on the counter attack of a Liverpool team that look jaded.
Not enough in that. He could’ve called it, but he didn’t need to. And it must be “clear and obvious” for VAR to overrule.
1-1 lol
Samesong
No, actually, they’re not “playing on the counter” — even if they are countering when it makes sense. They played on the front foot for the first 20 minutes, not on the counter.
VAR again……
Lol
Definite handball.
Bamford
Easy on the United hype man, there’s a reason they’re where they are in the table…they’ve been good today but been toilet all season and 45 good kind doesn’t change that
How can you screw up VAR so badly. They nail offside decisions, because the linesman and ref can say it’s too close to see it without var so ref gets away with a bad decision.
They nail hand ball in the box because they say there not sure if it’s ball to hand.
But when a ref screws up var cover there arses so the refs don’t look bad. Lol joke.
Bamford
Why ?
VAR is a great tool but of what use it is going to be if corrupt EPL referees value protecting each other more than making right decisions ?
United goal shouldn’t of stood. That was a clear foul don’t matter how much contact. There was contact still think Liverpool will win this game.
‘United are way better than we are. Results notwithstanding’
Not like we are in a results-based business or anything, eh?
I mean i get hyping say a Chelsea because they’ve actually looked good in parts this season but definitely not United… One good ish half doesn’t mean they’re some great team we’ve all been sleeping on
You heard it here 1st!
Pundits saying it’s a foul
Ref made a mistake
Not sure the point of VAR if they don’t even bother use it.
United goal never should have stood.
Thankyou WE
Solskjaer looking very smart at the moment.
United goal should have been disallowed, no doubt.
Mane handball was not deliberate, weird new handball rule which rules out goals scored even if there is unintentional contact with hands.
Bamford,
Pretty bold statement, utd do have a run of easy games now till the start of December. They then hit the spuds, city, us and the bindippers in a six week period.
Will be interesting to see where there Sat then.
I think your going a bit overboard, utd look pretty good because the bindippers are looking quite average.
All United need now is a gifted penalty from VAR
Nearly every commentator is saying it’s “debatable” whether that was even a foul. Yet all of you are saying VAR should have reversed it; this despite the fact that VAR can only reverse what is “clear and obvious”; if commentators are saying that it’s “debatable” that it was even a foul, then there is no chance whatsoever that it was a “clear and obvious” foul and that VAR should have reversed it.
Bamford will be sleeping with a smile tonight what with all the multiple orgasms. Solskjaer done a proper job on him.